​United States/Iran – Iran’s Revolutionary Guard is to conduct military drills during the reporting period it was announced by a senior commander announced on the 19 Feb 17 despite warnings from the United States and fresh sanctions over a ballistic missile test. “The manoeuvres called ‘Grand Prophet 11’ started on the 20 Feb 17 and lasted three days,” General Mohammad Pakpour, commander of the force’s ground units, told a news conference. He said rockets would be used without specifying which kind. In early Feb 17 Iran conducted drills involving short-range missiles at a time of heightened tensions with the United States. Iran has said the exercises were aimed at demonstrating Tehran’s “complete preparedness to deal with the threats” and “humiliating sanctions” from Washington. US President Donald Trump slapped fresh sanctions against Tehran’s weapons procurement network following a ballistic missile test on the 29 Jan 17. “Iran would do well to look at the calendar and realize there’s a new president in the Oval Office. And Iran would do well not to test the resolve of this new president,” Vice President Mike Pence said earlier this month. New Pentagon chief James Mattis, for his part, has branded Iran “the single biggest state sponsor of terrorism in the world”. Iranian officials have rejected the threats emphasizing that the missile program is purely defensive.